Bed table



Dec. 21, 1948. B DA COSTA I 21,456,867

BED TABLE Filed Jan. 26, 1946 Mmsmrzw,

lPatented Dec. 21', 17948A "UNITED `s'rA'rEs vPrirrsrl'r OFFICEBartholomew da Costa, Long Island City, N. Application January 26, 1946,Serial No. 643,545

3 Claims. 1 I 'I hisinvention relates to bed tables or the like,although it may also be applied to other articles of furniture and inother ways than herein set forth, and the main object of the inventionis the provision of a bed table having simple, inexpensive and efficientmeans for throwing a small but suflicient amount of illumination uponturning on of an electric switch, to enable a person to see sufcientlywell about the room without necessitating rising from the bed to turn ona wall switch or a lamp. Such illumination is sufficient for ordinarypurposes While the person remains in the bed, for instance, to select abottle of medicine or other container or article from the table, or tolook for a handkerchief which has slipped from under the pillow, and formany other purposes. Moreover, such a moderate amount of illumination isinsuiiicient to awaken another person who may also be occupying theroom.

The above general as well as additional and more specific objects willbecome apparent in the following description, wherein character ofreference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawings. Itis to be noted that the drawings are intended for the purpose ofillustration only, and that it is neither desired nor intended to limitthe invention necessarily to any or all of the specific details ofconstruction shown, excepting insofar as they may be deemed essential tothe invention.

Referring briey to the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a bed table embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the drawer or compartment positionedimmediately under the top panel of the table.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a bed tablehaving the top panel thereof provided with a hole or opening I2therethrough. A drawer I3 is slidably mounted in the table under thepanel I I, having the bottom |4, the side Walls I5, the front and backwalls I6 and I1, respectively.

Mounted on the drawer bottom or oor I4 is a base I8, and the same may besecured to the floor as by screws I9. The base I8 contains an uprightbulb or lamp socket 20, adapted to receive a small powered lamp bulb 2|therein. A conical reflector' 22 is mounted on the base or socket,substantially as shown, surrounding the bulb 2|. The axis of the bulband reflector is positioned so that it will be in alignment with thecenter of the panel hole I2 when the drawer is fully closed. The openend of the reflector is of greater diameter than that of the opening I2so that in the event the drawer is nearly but not fully closed, as isfrequently the case, a goodly portion of the illumination from the bulband reflector will still pass through the opening I2, rather than asubstantially diminished amount if the open end of the reflector wereonly of the same or of lesser diameter than that of the opening I2.

One or more dry cells 23 are mounted on the floor I4 of the drawer I3,and the cells may be separated from the remainder of the drawer compartment by a partition 24. A rotary snap switch 25 is mounted in thedrawer wall i6, with the stem 21 thereof extending through this wall andterminating on the outside with a knurled knob 2B. The latter thus alsoserves as a drawer handle.

With the switch turned on, light from the bulb 2| passes through thehole I2 both directly from the bulb and by reflection and diffusion fromthe reflector, so that the hole serves as the source of a wide diffusedillumination which sets up a suicient glow throughout the room to servethe purposes above-mentioned. The knob or button 26 can be easilyreached. by the person in bed, as bed tables are conveniently placednext the bed, and the illumination is constantly at hand ready for useas and when desired.

The cost of manufacture and installation of the invention is obviouslylow, and the life and durability of the installation are high.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A table having a table panel, said panel having an openingtherethrough, a drawer slidably mounted in said table under said panel,a base mounted in said drawer and so positioned as to lie under saidopening when the drawer is closed, said base having a lamp socket sopositioned thereon as to lie under said opening when said drawer isclosed, said socket being adapted to have a lamp bulb mounted therein, areflector surrounding said socket to reflect the light from said bulbupward, the greatest diameter of said reflector being larger than thediameter of said opening, and means for energizing said bulb.

2. A table having a table panel, said panel having an openingtherethrough, a drawer` slidably mounted in said table under said panel,a base mounted in said drawer and so positioned as to lie under saidopening when the drawer is closed, said base having a lamp socket soposi-` tioned thereon as to lie under said opening when said drawer isclosed, said socket being adapted to have a lamp bulb mounted therein,an upright substantially conical reector surrounding said socket toreflect the light from said bulb upward, the diameter of the upper endof said reflector being greater than the diameter of said opening, andmeans for energizing said bulb.

3. A table having a table panel, said panel having an openingtherethrough, a drawer slidably mounted in said table under said panel,a base mounted in said drawer and so positioned as to lie under saidopening when the drawer is closed, said base having a lamp socket sopositioned thereon as to lie under said opening when the drawer isclosed, said socket being adapted to have a lamp bulb mounted therein,an upright substantially conical reflector surrounding said socket toreect the light from said bulb upward, the upper end of said reectorhaving a diameter greater than the diameter of said opening, and meansfor energizing said bulb comprising a 4 e battery cell and an electricswitch in series with said socket, said switch comprising a. housingsecured against the inside of the front wall of said drawer and havingan actuating stem ex- 5 tending through said wall, and a knob on saidstem on the outside of said wall. said knob serving also as a handle forthe drawer.

BARTHOLOMEW DA COSTA. 1 f.. REERENQES .CITED y v.The followingreferences are of record in the *file of this patent:

w UNITED STATES PATENTS Numberv Name DateV 2,145,238 Falk Jari. 31, 19392,198,077 Curtis Apr. 23. 194D f FOREUN PATENTS zo Number Country DateFrance June 25,1934;

